Renewed call to close gun sale loophole

A plea to close the private gun sales loophole. Jeri Bonavia with the WAVE Action Fund said a glaring loophole in state gun laws make it all too easy to buy guns from private sellers, who do not – in fact, cannot – run background checks. “One of our top priorities for years has been to close that private sales market, and have all gun sales at least be completed by a licensed gun dealer,” Bonavia said. She said several states and numerous other countries have such a requirement in place.

Bonvia concedes it can’t take ALL illegal guns off the streets. “We’re not being pollyanna-ish about this, we get it. But it really decreases the number. Once the number of guns that are available for sale on the street go down, the price goes up for those types of gun sales.” She said it would not drive up prices on guns sold legally. “It doesn’t effect the regulated market. It won’t drive up prices from a gun dealer. But it changes the availability of guns available for purchase in parking lots or at kitchen tables.”

Brookfield shooter Radcliffe Haughton bought the gun he used to kill his wife and two other women at Brookfield spa, from a private seller. Bonavia said the change could make a difference in such cases.